Donald Rumsfeld is famous for carefully considering his words and taking deliberate, seconds-long pauses before answering questions. It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that director Errol Morris, whose "The Unknown Known" documentary is showing at the Toronto International Film Festival, says interviewing Rumsfeld is still a mystifying experience.


"It was one of the strangest and most interesting and puzzling interviews I’ve ever done," Morris told the Hollywood Reporter of the sit-downs that laid the foundation for "The Unknown Known." The director, who grilled former Sec. of State Robert McNamara for the Oscar-winning documentary "The Fog of War," has experience facing off against architects of war. This time, Morris sat down with Rumsfeld for what was supposed to initially be two days but turned into 33 hours spread across 11 days.


Morris describes Rumsfeld's obsession with language as more than just a simple fascination:


When we think of words and the definition of words, I immediately think of George Orwell because he wrote so extensively about it. Orwell was obsessed with language and how language could be used to manipulate people. But I don’t think that’s what’s going on here. It’s something stranger. Words become for Rumsfeld his own way to regain control over reality and history as he feels it slipping away. I’m not sure I’m even characterizing it correctly either, but there’s something strange and powerful about it. If somehow he gets the right word or the right definition of words, everything will be OK. America will win the war in Iraq, the insurgents will vanish. It’s all a problem of vocabulary.

Here's the press room soundbite that inspired the title for the film -- and aptly illustrates Rumsfeld's sometimes convoluted manner of speaking.



This year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has lived up to its reputation as a breeding ground for Oscars buzz, with the likes of "Gravity" and "12 Years a Slave" among the heavy favorites. Last year, both "The Master" and "Silver Linings Playbook" debuted at the fest. For more on TIFF, check out our earlier and continuing coverage. For more on "The Unknown Known," head over to THR.




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  • Jude Law, Emilia Clarke


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - Jude Law and Emilia Clarke attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Emilia Clarke


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - Emilia Clarke attends Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Demian Bichir


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - Demian Bichir attends Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Madalina Diana Ghenea, Jude Law, Emilia Clarke


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - From left, Madalina Diana Ghenea, Jude Law and Emilia Clarke attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke, Richard Shepard, Richard Grant


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - From left, Demian Bichir, Emilia Clarke, Director Richard Shepard and Richard Grant attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Richard Grant, Jude Law, Emilia Clarke


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - From left, Richard Grant, Jude Law and Emilia Clarke attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Madalina Diana Ghenea, Richard Grant


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - Madalina Diana Ghenea and Richard Grant attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Madalina Diana Ghenea, Jude Law, Emilia Clarke, Demian Bichir, Richard Shepard


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - From left, Madalina Diana Ghenea, Jude Law, Emilia Clarke, Demian Bichir and Director Richard Shepard attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Madalina Diana Ghenea


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - Madalina Diana Ghenea attends Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Richard Grant, Jude Law, Emilia Clarke


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - From left, Richard Grant, Jude Law and Emilia Clarke attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Madalina Diana Ghenea, Demian Bichir


    IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR FOX SEARCHLIGHT - Madalina Diana Ghenea and Demian Bichir attend the party for Fox Searchlight's Premiere of "Dom Hemmingway" at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision for Fox Searchlight/AP Images)




  • Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth


    Reese Witherspoon, left, and Colin Firth, cast members in "Devil's Knot," pose together at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth


    Reese Witherspoon, left, and Colin Firth, cast members in "Devil's Knot," pose together at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Colin Firth


    Colin Firth, a cast member in "Devil's Knot," poses at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Collette Wolf


    Collette Wolf, a cast member in "Devil's Knot," poses at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Alan Ruck, Mireille Enos


    Mireille Enos, right, a cast member in "Devil's Knot," poses with her husband, actor Alan Ruck, at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Reese Witherspoon


    Reese Witherspoon, a cast member in "Devil's Knot," poses at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Colin Firth, Livia Giuggoli


    Colin Firth, a cast member in "Devil's Knot," poses with his wife Livia Giuggioli at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Atom Egoyan


    Atom Egoyan, director of "Devil's Knot," poses at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Mireille Enos


    Mireille Enos, a cast member in "Devil's Knot," poses at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Reese Witherspoon


    Reese Witherspoon, a cast member in "Devil's Knot," poses at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon


    Reese Witherspoon, left, and Colin Firth, cast members in "Devil's Knot," pose together at the premiere of the film on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in the Visa Screening Room at the Elgin Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Chris Hemsworth


    Actor Chris Hemsworth poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Daniel Bruhl


    Actor Daniel Bruhl poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Ron Howard; Cheryl Howard


    Director Ron Howard and his wife Cheryl Howard pose for a photographs on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Daniel Bruhl


    Actor Daniel Bruhl poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Chris Hemsworth; Elsa Pataky


    Actor Chris Hemsworth, left, and his wife Elsa Pataky pose for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Olivia Wilde


    Actress Olivia Wilde poses for a photograph on the red carpet at the gala for the new movie "Rush" during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)




  • Alfonso Cuaron, Sandra Bullock, David Heyman, Jonas Cuaron


    From left, director Alfonso Cuaron, actress Sandra Bullock, producer David Heyman and writer Jonas Cuaron arrive at the premiere of "Gravity" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at The Princess of Wales Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Alfonso Cuaron, Sandra Bullock


    Director Alfonso Cuaron, left, and actress Sandra Bullock arrive at the premiere of "Gravity" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at The Princess of Wales Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Alfonso Cuaron, Sandra Bullock


    Director Alfonso Cuaron, left, and actress Sandra Bullock arrive at the premiere of "Gravity" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at The Princess of Wales Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Sandra Bullock


    Sandra Bullock arrives at the premiere of "Gravity" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at The Princess of Wales Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Sandra Bullock


    Sandra Bullock arrives at the premiere of "Gravity" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at The Princess of Wales Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Isabella Rossellini


    Actress Isabella Rossellini arrives at the premiere of "Enemy" on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Ryerson Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)




  • Actor Jake Gyllenhaal


    Actor Jake Gyllenhaal arrives at the premiere of "Enemy" on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Ryerson Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)




  • Actor Jake Gyllenhaal


    Actor Jake Gyllenhaal arrives at the premiere of "Enemy" on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Ryerson Theatre on Saunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)




  • Denis Villeneuve


    Director Denis Villeneuve arrives at the premiere of "Enemy" on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at the Ryerson Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)




  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus


    Julia Louis-Dreyfus attends the press conference for "Enough Said" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Catherine Keener


    Actress Catherine Keener, left, director Nicole Holofcener and actresses Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Toni Collette pose for a picture at the photo call for "Enough Said" at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Galit Rodan)




  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus


    Julia Louis-Dreyfus attends the press conference for "Enough Said" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Toni Collette


    Toni Collette attends the press conference for "Enough Said" on day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in Toronto. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)




  • Catherine Keener


    Actress Catherine Keener smiles during the press conference for "Enough Said" at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Galit Rodan)




  • Nicole Holofcener, Toni Collette, Eve Hewson, Catherine Keener


    Wriet-director Nicole Holofcener, second from left, of the film "Enough Said," poses with cast members, from left, Eve Hewson, Toni Collette and Catherine Keener on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Nicole Holofcener, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tavi Gevinson, Tracey Fairaway


    Writer-director Nicole Holofcener, second right, of the film "Enough Said," poses with cast members, from left, Tracey Fairaway, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tavi Gevinson on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Nicole Holofcener, Toni Collette, Eve Hewson, Catherine Keener


    Wriet-director Nicole Holofcener, second from left, of the film "Enough Said," poses with cast members, from left, Eve Hewson, Toni Collette and Catherine Keener on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)




  • Nicole Holofcener, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tavi Gevinson, Tracey Fairaway


    Writer-director Nicole Holofcener, second right, of the film "Enough Said," poses with cast members, from left, Tracey Fairaway, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tavi Gevinson on day 4 of the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)